The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) is renowned throughout the world for its humanitarian efforts, the strong work ethic of its members, their adherence to a strong moral code, their dedication to family, and their loyalty to their communities and nations. But not unlike any large religious organization, the church has espoused practices and doctrines that were received critically by those same communities and nations. Among these, the best known is the Mormon belief in polygamy.
Polygamy, also known as plural marriage, is by no means unknown to the world. Christians have long debated Biblical polygamy. Arabic and far eastern harems have long been the subject of exotic fiction. From The Arabian Nights’ Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves to Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s The King and I, the idea of a man having multiple wives fascinated audiences — until it happened in their own back yard.
Beginning as early as 1831, Mormon prophet Joseph Smith and other early church leaders began marrying multiple women in obedience to their belief in a revelation they claimed came from Jesus Christ. From the moment their actions became public knowledge in the 1840’s, religious organizations, local communities and the U.S. Federal Government actively worked to stop the practice, even if it meant destroying the church. From that moment on, the Mormon doctrine of polygamy was elevated from the odd practice of an obscure American religion to a plank in political platforms — affecting the lives of hundreds of the nation’s leaders.
Today, polygamy is practiced by many people including Mormon fundamentalists, Christians, and Muslims. Polygamy can be found in 78% of the world’s cultures and is hotly debated in Christian congregations and political rallies throughout the United States, and its decriminalization or legalization in Canada seems to be only a matter of time.
Join Mr. Howick as he discusses the religious, social, political, and legal enigma of Mormon polygamy.
From a church leader to a presidential candidate, high-profile individuals have brought polygamy into the nation's collective conscious.
A new book, "Polygamy: The Mormon Enigma," explores the plural-marriage practice from many angles of the debate.
"I wanted to clearly explain the belief of the Mormon Church concerning polygamy and its current religious and political impact," said author E. Keith Howick, who is a practicing Mormon, or more accurately a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Many people are curious about this topic, especially since presidential candidate Mitt Romney is a Mormon."
The book examines the origins of polygamy, which is no longer practiced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but is still part of its doctrine.
Polygamy is illegally practiced by some splinter groups of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints led by convicted church leader Warren Jeffs. Polygamy also is practiced by the self-described Christian pro-polygamy organization truthbearer.org, led by pro-polygamy advocate Mark Henkel.
"He is advocating that according to Biblical scripture polygamy is acceptable in the Christian community," Howick said during a telephone interview with The Telegraph.
Additionally, the book examines how polygamy has evolved over time, past and present legal issues and the present-day status and political impact of polygamy.
One of the most interesting, and perhaps controversial, theories explored in the book, is the contention that since some U.S. states passed the law allowing same sex marriage, that polygamy will be legalized in coming years.
"Maybe not legitimized, but decriminalized," he said.
Also, Howick said Mormons or non-Mormons can support Romney but religion should not be the sole reason to either support or not support him or any other candidate.
"I supported JFK and it had nothing to do with Catholicism," he said.
Also included are explanations of whether early Mormon leadership denied living in polygamy, which English-speaking nation will likely be the first to legalize polygamy and how many polygamists live in the United States today.
Howick believes there are up to 60,000 polygamists living in the United States from break-off groups of the Mormon Church.
"And maybe 60,000 additional not affiliated with break-offs of the Mormon Church," he said.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints banned the practice of polygamy through its Manifestos of 1890 and 1904 and members who entered into the practice thereafter were excommunicated. However, the Church continues to believe in the concept, Howick said.
He said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still believes in the doctrine of polygamy, first, because its founder Joseph Smith said it was a revealed item from God during the Restoration of the Gospel in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1820 and 1844.
"Polygamy was part of that restoration and of all of the doctrines that had fallen away because polygamy was practiced in ancient times by the ancient patriarch Abraham and his descendents in the Old Testament," Howick explained. "And most biblical historians believe at the time of Christ, that it had to be restored, too. Arabs still practice it. It's part of the ancient practice of the ancient Israelites."
Smith restored the doctrine of polygamy in 1830 or 1832 and he and his followers practiced plural marriage about 12 years until his murder in 1844 in Carthage, Mo., when the Latter-day Saints moved west to Salt Lake Valley in Utah and they practiced polygamy until 1890, the year of the first Manifesto.
Also, a part of the reason the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints practiced polygamy early on was to increase its population.
"An anti-Mormon would say, and it was stated, that in The Book of Mormon people were forbidden to practice polygamy, but in that process it also states God would restore it when necessary to increase the population," Howick said.
The Book of Mormon describes this passage in Jacob 2:23-30.
In the 1800s, Mormons were being persecuted moving from Missouri to Nauvoo, Ill., and then eventually west. Massacres took place and the Church's population declined. Therefore, polygamy was practiced to restore its population.
"There's no question that was part of the reasoning for the restoration," said Howick, who has a master's degree in political science and a law degree from the University of Utah.
Now Howick lives in northern Idaho. He is a student of Mormon history and given many presentations discussing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Brigham Young University, the University of Utah and Montana State University. He also taught public law graduate seminars at Pennsylvania State University, as well as classes in American national government.
"Polygamy: The Mormon Enigma," can be purchased or ordered from any major bookstore or directly from the publisher's Web site windriverpublishing.com.
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E. Keith Howick was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended the University of Utah where he received his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science and Juris Doctor in law. He also taught and did PhD studies at Pennsylvania State University.